Beginnings
by Pookadook
Summary: A century after the fall of Galbatorix, a young girl named Eva falls upon a green dragon egg.
1. Chapter 1

It had been nearly a century ago that Eragon had freed all of Alagaësia from Galbatorix's tyranny. The land had since then been led by the more just bloodlines of Eragon's elder cousin, Roran. Yet their current king, Garron, was quickly losing favor with his people. Poverty was spreading across the lands as the king locked himself in his castle in the capitol, while the cities and villages had fallen prey to greedy merchants and tax collectors. Of these was Carvahall, which had been restored into a bustling city after Eragon had left Alagaësia for good. The only building left to ruin was the old farmhouse on the outskirts of town, a monument of the last Rider's past. Not far from the farmhouse, near the edges of the Spine, was the home of Eva.

The air was unseasonably cool as Eva returned home after buying food from town. She sighed as she approached the gravel road that led to her small farm, carrying only a few strips of meat and a loaf of bread. She was young, with dark auburn hair and striking green eyes. She lived alone with her mother, her father having died in the Spine when she was only three years of age. Ever since, money had been harder to come by with each year that past.

"Mother, I'm back," she called as she reached the gate, glancing at the garden where her mother, Linota, knelt weeding. The woman stood up in dirtied clothes, throwing what she'd just plucked into an old rusty bucket. She was beautiful, with soft grey eyes and golden colored hair. Her youthful features opposed her actual age.

"Oh, hello dear," Linota answered, following her daughter into the cottage. "This was with _all _the money I gave you?" she asked, hoping otherwise.

Eva nodded, looking down. Only weeks before, the same amount of money had bought them twice the amount of food.

Her mother touched Eva's cheek with her hand. "It will be alright. I'll go in the morning to talk to Balard. He should be able to help us out."

Balard was the owner of the bakery in Carvahall, and a cousin to Bero, Eva's father. Though he was a burly, intimidating man, he was kind hearted and helped out Eva's family when they were in need.

"He must have been sick today. Agnes was there instead."

Linota frowned, and then sighed. Agnes was the co-owner of the shop. She was an older woman, irritable and almost cruel to her customers. "Well, maybe I'll catch her on a good day tomorrow."

Eva looked at her mother doubtfully, and then helped her make a stew out of the meat. They ate in silence before withdrawing to their rooms for the night.

The next morning, as Linota left for Carvahall, Eva went to catch fish along the Anora River. The sun was bright and welcoming, the water more peaceful than usual. With her basket and tools sprawled in the grasses, she stood patiently at the water's edge with her makeshift pole, the slight breeze playing with strands of her hair. Eva wasn't the greatest at fishing, but she had an incessant amount of patience. Here and there she felt a tug, but otherwise the line remained relaxed. Suddenly, a hard pull on the line threatened to tear the pole from her hands. Eva wrenched the pole back, stepping farther from the bank, but the pole only bent closer to the water. Just as she was afraid either the line or pole would break, a monstrous fish burst from the river, spraying water in every direction. Eva quickly hurled the line behind her, the fish disappearing into the grass. Just as she set her pole down, something caught her eye in the water. Edging closer to the bank, Eva examined the object half buried in the water. It appeared to be a gem, its luminous green color vibrant even as the water rushed around it. Eva reached into the icy cold water and pulled out a perfectly smooth emerald-green stone. Though it had rested in sharp rocks and sand, she was unable to find even one flaw on its surface. She turned the stone in her hands several times, awed by the way it reflected back the sun's light.

_This is just what we've been waiting for, _Eva thought excitedly. _A gem this large is sure to be worth a great deal. _

Eva hugged the stone to her chest and retrieved her pole from the grass. As she glanced at the basket she'd brought, however, her breath caught in her chest. Woven into the basket was the pattern of a dragon. Eva stared at the stone in her hands, realizing at once that it might not even be a stone, but rather an egg.

A century before, the last of the Riders had left Alagaësia forever, taking the last of the dragons and their legacy with him. The very thought of dragons had faded almost into myth, the only proof of their existence engraved in books or encased in jewel. To find one now was impossible. Eva shook her head, ridding herself of the thought.

_I will take the stone to Carvahall tomorrow, _she decided. _Perhaps someone there can tell me for certain what it really is. _

Eva gathered everything up, hid the stone in her pack, and made her way back home. The farmhouse was empty; her mother was still in Carvahall. Eva threw her pack on her bed and then went to cooking the fish she'd all but forgot about.


	2. Chapter 2

The morning was cool and pleasant as Eva rode into Carvahall, the stone tucked away in her pack. People were rushing here and there as they bought goods from the merchants and nearby shops. Several stalls caught Eva's interest, but she had to solve the mystery of the stone first. She tied her gelding outside the bakery shop, deciding to ask Balard what he thought.

The smell of flour and sugars enveloped Eva as she entered the bakery. The store owner was in the back, pulling out a fresh loaf of bread from the oven. He slipped off his mitts and came to see his potential customer, a warm smile spreading across his face as he noticed who it was.

"Well, now! If it isn't my favorite cousin's daughter. What can I do fer yeh today?" He leaned over the counter and gave her an apologetic smile. "Tell yer ma I'm sorry, by the way. I heard from another customer Agnes was a real witch to her yesterday. "

"She understands," Eva replied, sliding her pack off of her back and in front of Balard. His curious expression morphed into shock as Eva pulled the green stone from her pack. "I was wondering… or well, hoping, actually, if you could tell me what this is?"

"May I?" Balard almost whispered as Eva handed it to him. He held it as if it were about to shatter, the shocked expression seemingly locked on his face. "Where did yeh get this?"

"I found it in the river yesterday while I was fishing. I didn't know what it was; I never told mother about it either."

"A wise choice, that," Balard muttered, his eyes studying the stone as he carefully turned it in his hands. "Yer ma hasn't got the strongest of hearts fer these kinds of things."

"So it's not a stone then?"

"Nay, you'll never find a stone the likes of this one. Even the dwarves of the southern mountains would find themselves unable to recreate it. No, my dear, this is worth more than all the gold of Alagaësia."

Balard carefully placed it back in Eva's hands, his eyes scrutinizing the windows. "This," he said in a soft, yet almost pained voice, "is a dragon's egg."

Just as he said the word dragon, the egg stirred. Eva jumped in surprise, the egg slipping from her hands and onto the counter. A large crack split across the egg, which stirred even more. Balard grabbed it quickly but carefully and placed it in her pack.

"Get out of town," Balard ordered as he shoved some bread and pastries into the pack around the egg to keep it from cracking more. "You'll be safe once yer back at home. If yeh need anything in town, just ask yer ma to let me know. I'll stop by later on." He stepped around the counter, placing both his hands on her shoulders. "I never thought I'd see the day when the Riders returned to Alagaësia. And to find that it's _you,_" He shook his head, stepping back. "Go on, get goin. If anyone's seen yeh, there might be trouble."

Eva nodded and thanked him, rushing out of the store with her pack. As she leapt onto her gelding, her pack shrieked, startling a couple about to enter the shop. Avoiding their eyes, she nudged the horse's belly and raced home.

Eva slowed her pace as she came into view of her farmhouse, not wanting to alert her mother. She rode to the barn, setting her pack down amongst the square bales of hay stacked along the far wall. After she'd taken care of her horse, she sat before the pack, carefully taking out the egg. It had fractured in more places, but remained intact.

Eva smiled as she traced her finger along the first crack. The egg peeped and trembled as she touched it, before completely falling apart. Eva gasped, staring at the small creature before her with both excitement and caution. The small, dark-emerald green dragon stared up at her with curious eyes, stretching its neck towards her. Eva hesitantly reached out to touch the dragon, gently placing her hand on its small head.

Suddenly she was thrown back, her arm exploding in pain. The dragon shrieked and leapt off the bale, knocking pieces of eggshell everywhere. Eva laid her head back, sighing in relief as the pain faded, leaving her hand only throbbing slightly. She examined her hand, where a silvery scar was now stretched across her palm. She frowned as she touched it, then glanced at the dragon curled up on the sandy floor. It peeped at her, flicking its tail slightly.

Eva smiled, picking up the dragon without a thought, glad to find the pain didn't shock her again. The dragon curled up against her, closing its eyes. She held it like a mother would her newborn, stroking its smooth, gem-like scales, which matched the color of the egg perfectly.

_My dragon, _Eva thought to herself in wonder. She swore she could hear the same possessive thought coming from the creature curled up in her arms.


	3. Chapter 3

Eva woke to the sound of thunder, the walls and floors vibrating from the deep bass of the sound. The smell of horses and feed alerted her to the fact she had fallen asleep in the barn. She got up and brushed the hay off of her, only to fall back down as she remembered the previous day's events.

"Dragon?" she called out, scanning the bales in search of the emerald creature, only to find it curled up amongst the litter of kittens that had been born only months previous. Eva smiled at the site, gently stroking the tiny scales of its head. It woke with a soft peep, staring up at her with bright, intelligent eyes. It stretched, scaring the other kittens away from it, their mother hissing angrily. Unperturbed, the little dragon yawned, before nuzzling Eva's hand.

Eva had played with it for hours after it had hatched the morning previously, admiring its color and its clumsy attempts at flight. It had made friends with the kittens and ate the dead mice the mother cat had caught and left lying in the dirt. It had gotten bored of the barn, but to Eva's surprise, it understood not to venture out of the barn.

"I'll have to think up a name for you," she whispered to it. "But first, are you a he or a she?"

The dragon just blinked at her, cocking its head in a way that made Eva giggle. She picked it up and turned it over in her hands, looking for any evidence of gender. The dragon squealed as she did so, digging its tiny claws into her arms.

"Ok, ok," Eva muttered, dropping it back onto a bale of hay. She hadn't found anything. She sat beside it, watching as it curled up against her leg. "What about Spike?" she asked it, thinking of its ivory spikes that ran along its back.

It looked at her for a moment, before shaking its head. Eva's eyes widened slightly at this, but continued. "Jade? Meryl?"

It flicked its tongue at her, before fussing with one of its wings.

"Hmm… Brunhild, Dovyra, Rigunth, Wymark, Avoca?" Eva asked it, only to find each name rejected.

"Pyrrhus? Zahra? Radnheidr? Ceallach, Eadberht, Elmas?" She had remembered some of the names from stories Balard used to tell her when she was a child.

She was about to give up, until she remembered one last name. "Odhran?" she almost whispered.

It was the name of the dragon that belonged to her grandfather's grandfather. Odhran had been one of the last dragons killed by the forsworn. Eva's mother still kept the fragments of his egg locked in a chest in her room, along with the sword that matched his scales. Why the man kept the shell fragments Linota never understood, but the sword, named Vindr, was precious. Eva had only seen it twice in her life, its iridescent color only a few shades lighter than her own dragon. Though it had a common, simple name, it held a frightening beauty.

The little dragon nodded his approval of the name, a feeling of satisfaction brushing against Eva's consciousness. "Odhran, then," she said with a smile, watching as he opened his wings and awkwardly glided down to the floor, before chasing after one of the kittens. The tiny fur ball was playing with a mouse, of which Odhran stole and gobbled up before the kitten even knew what to do.

Eva brushed her fingers against her silvery palm, suddenly lost in thought. What would this mean for her? Would she have to work for the king, or even leave Alagaësia? How would she train? There were no living Riders left in the kingdom. The only thought thing she knew for certain was that whatever would happen, she would keep the dragon. Even as only a hatchling, she could no longer imagine _not _having him.

The sound of footsteps suddenly interrupted her thoughts. _Hide! _She cried to Odhran through her thoughts, unable to speak the words. The little dragon quickly leapt away from Eva and buried itself in a mound of hay, just as Linota stepped into the barn.

"What on earth are you doing in here?" her mother asked with a worried expression. "I never saw you return last night. Where were you?"

Eva shrugged, hoping for a nonchalant look on her face. "I went to the bakery to get some things. Balard was there; he wanted me to apologize for Agnes. I rode home right after and was in here for the rest of the day I guess."

Linota sighed. "You're all I've got, Evelynn. You can spend time with Fire, yes, but you could've let me know you were here."

Fire was Eva's gelding; she could spend hours in the barn just grooming and talking to him.

"I'm sorry mother," Eva said as she went and gave her a hug. "I didn't mean to worry you."

Linota smiled briefly before her face froze in shock. Eva panicked as she remembered Odhran's egg shell. The pieces were still scattered amongst the hay, glimmering dimly in the soft light. Linota picked up one of the pieces with trembling fingers, knowing immediately what creature it belonged to.

"Now tell me the truth."


	4. Chapter 4

**Alright, tried to make this chapter longer for you guys! I hope you enjoy it. Please, please review! I'm really new at this whole writing thing, so any comments are welcome. **

Linota and Eva sat on the floor in Linota's room, both staring at the contents of a giant chest pushed against the wall. Odhran sat contently beside his rider, looking at the chest curiously. Within it were several scrolls and books, the dragon egg shell pieces and Vindr, along with various knick knacks and items the Rider had collected. Eva gasped as she noticed a fairth of the original Odhran.

He was perched just outside the entrance to a cave, on a ledge that overlooked a massive forest. The great dragon's head was turned towards the setting sun, the golden light reflecting off of his scales, which were the color of fresh spring leaves. He looked strong and wise, a magnificent creature. Beside him was a much smaller dragon, nearly half Odhran's size. Its color was a deep blue, like the dark depths of an ocean. Eva's heart sunk in her chest as she realized that the striking creature must have perished in The Fall.

"That was taken by Savaric only weeks before Odhran died. The blue dragon was far younger, but she was his mate. She disappeared after he died, so Savaric assumed she must have died as well." Linota sighed, taking the old fairth and turning it face down on the floor. She then gently lifted Vindr out of the chest, as if it were made of glass, and laid it in Eva's surprised arms.

"I am not happy to see that you have a dragon, but you might as well have this. It had helped slay a few of the forsworn before Odhran himself was killed. No man can ever remake the likes of this blade. It will remain forever sharp and never break, horribly mangling any blade that it unlike itself."

Eva unsheathed Vindr, entranced by its beauty. She knew nothing of swords, however. Though it felt like it belonged in her hand, the blade was heavy and unbalanced as she held it. She wondered who would be able to teach her without having his or her own blade mutilated in the process.

Suddenly Odhran shrieked, his green eyes fixed upon the door. Eva froze in panic as smoke filtered in through the bottom of the door. Linota quickly grabbed a sheet from her bed and piled all the chests contents into it, before tying it in a tight knot. She whispered unintelligible words over it, and flung the makeshift pack at a surprised Eva.

"Take Odhran and go," Linota ordered as she shoved the chest in front of the door. "I want you to hide in the spine until someone comes for you, is that clear?"

Eva could only nod mutely, and flung the unexpectedly light pack over her shoulder. She took Odhran in her free arm and leapt out the window, just as an explosion of flames burst through the door. She ran as fast as she could towards the mountains, not having to look back to know the house was in flames. As she neared the mountains, she could hear her mother's shrill scream. She forced herself not to look back until she was hidden in the dark of the Spine, where her legs gave out from her hard sprint.

Her home was completely engulfed in flames, the barn included. She laughed without humor at her gelding Fire's ironic death. Dark figures wandered about the property, no doubt looking for her. One, closest to Eva, pointed at the spine and urged the others to follow.

Eva forced herself back up and weaved through the ancient trees, wishing that Odhran had been big enough for flight.

She ran until her legs could hardly hold her weight, yet only slowed to a walk. Whoever those strangers were, Eva refused to let them anywhere near her dragon. She finally collapsed in a thicket where deer had recently bedded down. She waited and listened, only hearing the silence of the forest and the distant roar of the river. Odhran listened as well, his bright green eyes surveying the forest around him.

Eva emptied the sheet of its contents and curled up beneath it, using a pile of leaves and bracken for a pillow. Odhran curled up beside her and laid his head against her, offering little comfort as his Rider began to weep. Eva knew, without a doubt, that her mother was dead.

Eva had spent three weeks within the depths of the Spine before she dared return home. Odhran was now the size of a small horse, able to fly with the grace of a bird. He was able to hunt anything from the smaller ground creatures to the deer roaming in the forest, of which he shared with Eva.

More than once she'd been attacked by wolves, which Odhran successfully ran off, though not unscathed. Claw marks marred the gemlike scales of his slender neck and right shoulder, his right wing also torn slightly. To Eva's amusement, however, he pranced about as if he had just defeated one of the Forsworn.

Nearly a month old, Odhran could speak just as intelligently as Eva, with a unique personality both familiar and alien. Their mental link was stronger than ever; they could communicate with not only words but with feelings alone as well. They talked for hours on end, Eva sitting on the hollow of Odhran's back, both content in each other's presence. Without each other, they had nothing else, Eva only having Balard as family, Odhran being the last of his entire race. They were alone.

The day before the pair returned home, Eva went through the pack a final time, only taking what she thought was essential.

Of the scrolls she kept were ones Savaric had written himself, and ones with the glyphs she recognized from the Ancient Language. She strapped Vindr across her back, pocketing the egg shell fragments and small gems she also found, hoping to trade them for any supplies she might need. The last thing she kept was the fairth, unable to part with the only link, besides Vindr, to the Riders of old.

When Eva neared the edge of the forest, she overlooked what remained of her former home. Nothing was left of the farm house; ashes of the structure and items within it lay scattered throughout the property. The barn was in the same condition, if not worse. The farm had been completely abandoned, no sign of the strangers anywhere.

With one last glimpse of the Spine, Eva and Odhran made their way to the farmhouse. Out in the open they felt small and vulnerable, completely without protection. The green dragon kept close to Eva, his green eyes scanning every inch of the farm.

The pair stepped into the mass of ashes, looking for anything that could have been salvageable. Eva let out a choked cry and fell to her knees as she came across the body of what could only be her mother. The corpse was burned beyond recognition, but Eva could find no other answer for who it could be. She had heard her mother's screams, and dearly hoped she had died before she'd been devoured by the fire.

Eva tore her eyes from the body and searched the remainder of the house, unable to find anything worth keeping.

_I need to speak with Balard, _Eva told Odhran, pain lacing each word she thought. _He might be able to help us. Carvahall probably already knows what happened and they might accuse you for what happened. You have to hide._

_I won't leave you unprotected, _Odhran responded with a snort, unwilling to leave her side. _What if the villagers try to hurt you or question you on what happened? What can you say to them?_

_I can say I was out fishing, and when I returned, the farm was already destroyed, so I hid in the spine. _

_Balard knows about my existence. What if he's already alerted other villagers?_

_He was my father's cousin Odhran, and the only family I have left. There's no one else that I can trust. If you don't trust me going alone, fly up into the sky just high enough that whoever sees you would mistake you for a bird. You should be just near enough that I can still speak with you. _

Odhran wanted to protest, but with a resigned growl he hoisted himself into the air. After only a few moments he looked to be only an eagle soaring through the clouds.

Eva made her way into Carvahall, not surprised to see the streets all but deserted. Some doors were boarded up, windows as well. Eva tried to avoid the main street, an uneasy feeling seeping through her.

Looking up and down the alley, she crept into the side door of the bakery, hoping to find Balard inside. She was to be disappointed, however. The bakery was empty, the ovens looking like they hadn't been used in days. Eva suppressed a scream as she made her way into the entrance area, finding a pool of blood on the counter. She was relieved to find there wasn't a body that belonged to it.

She could sense Odhran in the skies, ready at any moment to swoop down to aid her. He felt her emotions as they traveled across their link, and she felt him growl as she showed him a mental image of the bakery.

_Get out of there, Eva. I don't like the looks of this. Two of the shops near the entrance gates of the city are completely destroyed, just like your farm. Whoever those strangers were, they might still be around. _

Eva quickly left the shop and made her way towards the entrance, and found Odhran's words to be true; one of the pubs and a barber shop had been obliterated, buildings around them suffering damage as well. Panicking, she fled to the outskirts of the city towards Balard's home. Odhran drifted towards the earth, ignoring Eva's mental protests. He landed beside her with a soft thud.

_Balard already knows about me; if you're in danger I'm of no use in the sky._

_Whoever did this was after you, Odhran. You are no use to anyone dead. _

Eva stepped onto Balard's porch, the old wood soft beneath her feet. The entire house was ancient, in dire need of repair. Yet, even with its age it was still the most beautiful of any house in Carvahall. The framing was intricately carved, large windows accenting the entirety of the 3 story home. Two fireplaces were placed at the northern and southern sides of the building, though Eva hadn't seen smoke billowing from either chimney.

Eva hesitantly tapped on the door, jumping back as she realized it had never been fully closed and opened inwards. She slowly entered the home, her unease nearly palpable. Odhran wedged himself in behind her, damaging the frame to the point where Eva doubted the door would ever close again. Just as she was about to step forward another step, something hard hit her head and the world turned black. Odhran's deafening roar was the last thing she heard before falling unconscious.


	5. Chapter 5

Eva woke to find herself face to face with a pair of bright green, human eyes.

"Well, well," the woman said as she backed away from Eva, who sat up immediately. "We were beginning to think you'd never wake up."

The woman was youthful, with striking green eyes and curly brown hair. She was dressed in green and black leather armor, an odd looking weapon slung across her back that Eva had never seen before. Suddenly, her memories rushed into her head with the ferocity of a river.

"Where's—"

"Odhran? He's gone hunting. For as young of a connection between you both, it took a lot of convincing to get him to leave your side. You've been unconscious for three days! I threatened that if he didn't go hunting this morning he would be turned into a toad, not that they exist. Toads are really only frogs."

"How could you speak with Odhran?" Eva gasped almost angrily.

"There are many things that are yet unknown to you Rider, but most will come with time. For now, you must eat. You are useless to anyone without strength in those bones."The woman handed Eva a bowl of steaming soup, which had a smell so enticing Eva began to eat without questioning what was in it.

"I was beginning to wonder if that egg would ever be found," the woman muttered as Eva finished, trading her with another full bowl. "Since you are now a Rider, there are events that you should be aware of. After Galbatorix's death, it was discovered that Saphira and Thorn had a clutch of eggs together. Thorn had died of course; death was the only escape to his imprisonment. Saphira, however, before she had left Alagaësia, had given the kingdom four of her five eggs. The one she kept was a deep crimson, shades darker than Thorn had been. Otherwise, the colors of the eggs were aquamarine, like the original Saphira, shimmering silver, a lovely shade of lavender, and of course, emerald green. Each egg was supposed to be taken to Ellesméra, but the courier had disappeared. The eggs were never seen or heard of again, until it was discovered that why may have been hidden somewhere in the Hadarac Desert. Odhran tells me, however, that you found his egg in the Anora River. I wonder…"

Eva tried to picture it in her head, the clutch of dragon eggs and their disappearance. Her mother—whom she remembered painfully—had always kept a map of Alagaësia in the house. The Hadarac desert had taken up a great deal of it, towards the east, while a vast sea edged along the western coast. Though the great eleven forests north of the desert were uncharted, Eva could only guess that's where Ellesméra was located.

"How do you know all this?" Eva asked, wondering how this woman could possibly know all this information.

"I'm knowledgeable of most things that go on in the kingdom, especially when it regards the Riders. You are a breed that is irrevocably set on destroying itself. Galbatorix really was mad to think he could rebuild such a doomed race. However, what I just discussed was common knowledge after the mad king's death. Several attempts were made to recover the eggs, but each failed worse than the previous. Eventually, they were forgotten, and life went on without the Riders once again. That's why I chose to reside in Carvahall. Surely the village of the last Rider would reveal another hero just waiting to emerge. And look! Another Rider falls right into a lap. You're lucky you did too; if I had come any later, who knows where you would've ended up."

For the first time since she had woken, Eva looked around her, finding herself in a cozy room painted in oceanic colors, the wooden floor made from several pieces of driftwood. Windows lined the entire room, showing the house was only two rooms big, the only other being the kitchen. Several plants both large and small littered the room, along with a small armory that was placed against the wall separating the two rooms; weapons of all sorts lay in a heap, including two swords that resembled Vindr in all but color. Next to that was a plush couch. Outside to her right, was a flowing river. The landscape was entirely foreign.

"Where am I?" Eva asked, just as Odhran landed outside, a large stag clenched within his jaws. Eva felt his relief at her wakening surge through her, before he began to eat.

"In my home, of course. I don't normally bring visitors here, but I made an exception for you. We are about half a day's ride from Ceunon. I transferred you here from Balard's house. He was a dear friend of mine; always gave me free samples from the shop, not that he'd dare not to. The first day he met me was quite catastrophic for him and two of his other customers. I believe they ended up moving to Gil'ead shortly after," she said with a chuckle. Her smile faded into one more apologetic. I do regret to inform you, however, that Balard is dead. He refused to reveal to the Ra'zac where you might be, and though he killed one of them, he was no match for them all. Two of them left, but one lingered in the house, knowing you might try to come find him. Just as he attacked you I happened to come by, and well, here we are."

_Angela's sort of crazy, but we can trust her, _Odhran said just as he finished his meal.

"Angela?" Eva wondered out loud in surprise.

"The one and only," Angela said with a bow, a pleasant smile on her face.

Eva knew the stories about the witch by heart, a woman who never seemed to age and was always wherever the most action was taking place.

"I have been around to see countless Riders rise and fall, but to help train one will be tricky. You will need the help of the Eldunarí, most of which are in the king's possession. The older the dragon, the more help you will receive. We will go to the capitol first, but then I would advise you to seek help from the elves. They will protect you from the Ra'zac."

"I thought they were destroyed," Eva muttered, remembering that Eragon had killed the last of them before the death of Galbatorix.

"Indeed they were, but more must have entered the land from the east, where Eragon had left Alagaësia for good. I have yet to know what evil they are now serving."

Angela approached her small armory, picking up one of the Rider's swords. Its color was a blue so light it matched the color of a cloud. "This," the witch said as she unsheathed the blade, "Is Rakr, the sword of the Rider Kyrna. Since Vindr will destroy any of my other blades, I will train you using him. I'd use Naegling, but the blade doesn't match my fighting style. Now, out out out! I refuse to have my plants hacked apart by clumsy swordsmanship."

Eva was led outside, Vindr in hand, and watched as Angela placed a spell upon the swords edges to prevent it from cutting.

"It would be wise to remember this spell, for if you are training and it's not used, you and your opponent would only end up hacking each other apart."

With the edges of the blades blocked, both Angela and Eva took their stances. With speed Eva didn't know existed, Angela leapt into the air and attacked her, rapping her hard against her left arm. Another blow struck her back, sending her face down into the dirt. Spitting blood on the ground, Eva turned and ran at Angela, Vindr aimed for the witch's throat. Angela parried the blow effortlessly, before twisting Rakr back to hit Eva's right arm, nearly knocking Vindr from her hands. Eva retaliated by slicing at Angela's legs, of which she simply jumped into the air to dodge. Their fight lasted only a few minutes more, before Angela held Rakr to Eva's throat.

"You have a lot of work ahead of you Rider. Your swordsmanship is shameful. Savaric would never have agreed to let you use his blade if he knew how poorly you use it. Tomorrow we try again; I expect better out of you."

Odhran snarled at the witch, snapping his razor-like teeth at her. Angela chuckled, before returning to her house. Eva collapsed in the dirt, tears streaming from her eyes. Odhran lay down behind her, arching his neck to touch his snout to her cheek.

_Don't be so hard on yourself, Eva. You'd never used Vindr before. How were you supposed to know how to fight her? She's been around for centuries, so she's probably a better swordfighter than Eragon himself. _

_You think Savaric would really be ashamed of me?_

_Savaric would be proud of the fact that you've become a Rider. Anything beyond that at this point in time would only be a bonus for him. You will become as powerful as any Rider before us; we both have to, to avenge the deaths of your family and the other villagers. _

Anger flooded Eva as she remembered both her mother's corpse at the farm, and the pool of blood in the bakery.

"You're right Odhran," Eva said aloud as she removed the spell from Vindr and sheathed him. "I will not rest until the monsters that stole mother from me are destroyed. If that means fighting an old witch until my limbs fall out of their sockets, then so be it."

Odhran chucked, lifting his wing as Eva curled up beside him, basking in his warmth.

_I don't know what I'd do without you, Odhran. You're my best friend. _

The green dragon sighed in agreement, resting his head and closing his eyes.

_I love you too, little one. _


End file.
